Beyond Perception
by ThePushThatComesToShove
Summary: Slash. Gill/Ivan. "Breaking Down Barriers" companion fic. It takes another one of Ivan's endeavors to lure Gill away from work, but he never would have expected it to be the Firefly Festival. Rated just to be safe.


Ivan always joked about getting him out into the sunlight just to see if he sparkled, but he never would have guess that he would do _this_.

He could feel his jaw becoming slack and quickly lifted a hand to keep it closed, feigning the image of thoughtfulness. The rancher in front of him leaned casually on the counter separating the two, leaning uncomfortably close like he always did. It was only for a fleeting moment; he always reeled back eventually, moving his eyes to examine some imaginary defect about his gloves.

"So what do you say, pretty boy?" Ivan asked, raising his eyes to look at him through his lashes. If he thought he could seduce him by acting like a girl, then Goddess was he wrong. "Go to the firefly festival with me? It'll be night time, so no worries about you sparkling."

From the back of the room, the pair could hear a feminine and exasperated sigh. "Would you stop it with the Twilight jokes, Ivan? I already know that the book is crap, so you can stop making fun of me!"

A disbelieving snort was emitted from the brunet in front of him as Ivan shook his head. "Not until you admit that Jacob is a pedophile!"

"I've already _told_ you that a pedophile is someone who's attracted to--"

"Would you two shut up?!" he exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table in front of him. Ivan jumped slightly, his back straightening with surprise from the loud sound. With an irritated growl, he stalked off towards the windows, refusing to answer the brunet's question.

"Come on, Gill," Ivan cooed, holding his hands up disarmingly, "Just go. It'll be fun. It's even after work hours, so there's really nothing to lose!"

_Nothing to lose, huh?_ The thought slowed Gill's feet, stopping him at a table near the window. Frowning faintly, he placed his palms flat on the flat surface, shifting his weight to his arms. His chest vibrated in a quiet hum as he took the time to consider the idea.

"Come on," the rancher repeated, sliding up to his side, his mouth close to his ear as he continued, "It'll be relaxing. Imagine the sounds of the waterfall colliding with the waters below in a muted thrum of splashes, the night insects creating nature's chorus as the fireflies reveal themselves in the darkness of the night. They fly around aimlessly, mingling with the stars as they float up into the sky..."

Despite the blush that was creeping to the blond's face due to their proximity, and nothing else, Gill turned his head and muttered sourly, "Why don't you just quit your day job?"

Ivan laughed aloud at his snappy reply, crossing his arms so that he could hold one side of his face in one hand. His brown eyes twinkled with mirth as he looked at him. "Hey, I may be good at describing scenery, but that's only one of many subjects. Like for example--"

"_Okay_, okay!" Gill shrieked, pushing the chuckling rancher away, "Just shut up already!"

* * *

The sun was starting to set and panic was starting to set into his system. Elli's amused giggles didn't help much, either. Pacing back and forth in his room, he stopped for a brief moment to send the baker a hard glare.

"It's not funny!" he spat, throwing up his hands, "I mean-- Ugh!" Blond hair flew about with the movement of his head. He wrung his hands through it as he shook his head hopelessly. "What should I do?! And don't give me crap like, "Oh, follow what your heart tells you"."

The brunette whistled from her perch on Gill's bed, her legs crossed under her long skirt. "Oowee, you're starting to sound more and more like him, Gill."

He ignored her, continuing to stalk around his room like a crazed lunatic. "You're no help. Seriously. Why are you even here?!"

"You're the one who ever so kindly requested for my presence," Elli replied, doing a weak impersonation of his voice. She lifted an eyebrow at him. "You want advice? All I have to say is let him do what he wants to you, but keep your principles. You won't regret it."

Gill stopped, crossing his arms across his chest. Chin dipped, he gave her a flat look and said, "You do a bad impersonation of me. And sarcasm. Just stick to the cooking, okay?"

The brunette pouted at him mock-sulkily, mimicking his pose. "Fine. But I stand by my word."

His chest deflated considerably as he sighed, retreating to his bed with a slump. Now that he was seated beside her, the baker pulled him in for a sideways hug, rubbing his arm soothingly. Short brown hair brushed his face as he settled his head on her shoulder. The position was familiar; when he was troubled a a young boy, they would camp out in his room and huddle up on his bed. Elli had always been more of an older sister to him than a babysitter.

"You fret too much," Elli murmured into his hair, petting his head softly, "He likes you, and despite having a... green sense of humor, he's a good guy. You've known him for how long, now? I know you're nervous, since he's your first boyfriend ever, but just let things flow." The hand on his head stopped, dropping to his shoulder again for a friendly squeeze. "And if he does hurt you, I'll beat him up for you."

"As if you could," Gill muttered, smirking faintly, "He runs a farm, for Goddess' sake. He could probably rip you in half."

"That's true," the brunette agreed, smiling as well, "But he wouldn't hurt a woman. And," Elli's tone was full of mischievous mirth, "He has balls and I don't."

"Elli!" Her responsive giggle shook his side as he gave her a disbelieving look. "That's low."

"Yep, so low it's below the belt." A helpless laugh bubbled from her chest when Gill gave her another pointed look. She merely returned the look as she added, "Yeah, so I go for the... more effective areas, look at yourself. "He runs a farm"? You fantasize about him, don't you?"

Blood rushed to his face, coloring his countenance in a blush that he was starting to become accustomed to. "I-I wouldn't call it "fantasizing" exactly--"

"So that's what's in there," Elli mused, tapping the top of his skull lightly, "Images of a certain sweaty, tanned, chiseled rancher working under the sun? Huh? Huh?"

Pushing her away, Gill stood up so fast that it made his head swim. He pressed two fingers into his temples and muttered, "You are just as bad as he is."

"Aww, you're blushing!" the baker observed, her voice high with excited amusement. "Come on, admit it. You dream about him, don't you!"

The blond spluttered indignantly, his eyes widening and his blush deepening. Arms crossed over his chest defiantly, he turned away from her and said, "No, I do not! I don't even know why you would even _assume_ that!"

"Oh come on," she urged, joining him by the doorframe. Gill resisted as she slung an arm around his shoulders and tried to pull him towards her. He huffed and slid away from her grip, so she simply continued from where she was. "It's okay to daydream every now and then. Tell me, tell me, what does he do? Is he showing off his body? Is he holding you close and calling you-- No, wait, wait, let me guess, is he--"

"He doesn't do any of those things!" the blond exclaimed helplessly, interrupting her. Blue eyes widened even more when he realized that he admitted to what she was prodding him about. His gaze darted around the room as he backed up toward the door. "I-If I even dream about him. Not that I do. So, um, I'm going to be late if I stay here much longer, so I'll see you!"

Gill had already escaped down the stairs by the time she was able to react. Standing at the top of the stairway, she called down after him, "Give me all the details when you get back, okay? Gill! Don't forget!"

* * *

Ivan was waiting silently by the waterfall when Gill arrived, his back to him. He was sprawled out on the grass, hands behind his head as he stared at the stars. Seeing him so serene, Gill couldn't help but slow down and savor the sight, hoping that he hadn't heard him walking. A tree obscuring his path allowed him to stop, but the rancher spoke up, interrupting his thoughts.

"I can see you," Ivan stated flatly, turning his head so that he might be able to face him. An irritated frown graced his features when he realized he couldn't. Propping his head on his elbow, he twisted his body to look him in the eye. "Come here."

Hesitantly, Gill stepped out from behind the trunk, wringing his hands together at the base of his stomach.

"Oh, stop acting like a little school girl," Ivan said impatiently, moving his hands under his body to hoist himself up, "Just get over here already."

"No!" The exclamation stopped Ivan in his tracks, his form bent in a way that made him look like he was halfway through a push up. A blush spread out across his cheeks, embarrassment settling into his veins at the awkward slip up. "I-I mean, st-stay there, I'm coming."

The rancher smirked at him, flattening onto his stomach. He cradled his head in his left hand and said, "That's what she said. Or should I say he?"

Gill rolled his eyes as he took a seat next to the rancher on the grass, the rustle of the blades echoing in his ears. He drew his knees to his chest, leaning his head to rest his chin on the top of his pants. "How mature," he murmured into his legs, the words almost inaudible, being muffled against his clothes.

"Aren't I always?" Ivan's eyes looked bright with mirth in the dark, his smile wide and the slightest bit contagious. The blond couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth twitch upwards, averting his gaze almost guiltily.

Reaching out, Ivan wrapped long, gloved fingers around Gill's limp wrist and tugged gently, eliciting a startled jump from the blond. He drew his eyebrows together, his eyes becoming hooded as he murmured lowly, "C'mere, Gill. Come closer."

A blush was starting to crawl up his neck, he just knew it. Gill swallowed thickly, staring openly at the facial expression that resembled something close to vulnerability painted on Ivan's face. It was a rare sight to see; the rancher usually masked his demeanor with sarcasm and crude jokes, always deflecting if asked anything too personal. The attitude made him intolerable at times, but the way that his eyes would round almost apologetically when Gill got upset made up for it. Mostly. To see him voluntarily offering himself was... shocking, to say the least.

Thinking about it made him wonder just how in the world he ended up here, sitting next to him at what was considered to be a _romantic_ festival. Ivan would probably tell him that it's his "irresistible charm" that was hooking him in, but he wasn't a mind reader. He supposed it was his own conscience filling in the blanks.

Gill relented, lowering his back to the ground. Surprising him further, the brunet made no move to hold him or anything else remotely intimate, settling on hanging on to the wrist clasped lightly in his hand. The blond continued to stare at him, his expression transforming into simple incredulousness.

"Look," Ivan said softly, pointing to the sky. Fireflies were floating about, their lights incredibly bright in the dark evening air. Some ventured near the waterfall, light reflecting off the cascading waters to create a lambent image.

"It's... beautiful," Gill breathed, his eyes widening as if it would assist him in absorbing more of the scene presented to them by nature. The lights mixing with the varying shades of blue coloring the sky and the waterfall behind it created a blend that was soft and brilliant at the same time.

When the blond chanced a glance at the rancher, he found his brown eyes directed towards himself. Their gazes locked and he felt puzzlement creeping into his thoughts, wondering why he was looking at him like that. It was starting to get overwhelming and he had the immense urge to tell him to stop it.

"Why?"

So maybe it was more than just an extreme urge. Heat rushed to his cheeks as he blushed, embarrassed that he'd thought aloud. The desire to look away made itself known in the back of his mind, but Ivan's eyes were showing him something that he'd never seen before. They were smiling, to put it simply. Content to just... Look at him.

"I..." Words were escaping the normally articulate man as he racked his brain for an explanation.

Why? Ivan's intense yet unusually unassuming stare was making his chest flutter uncomfortably, making his stomach knot it a way that was completely unfamiliar. He could hear his pulse hammering in his ears as silence started to settle over the falls and he wondered what could have given it a jump start.

"I don't know," he muttered, frustration building in his stomach. It was just confusing! With the way that Ivan was looking at him so... so... with the way that Ivan was just _looking_ at him, doing nothing but smiling with a relaxed composure that just slipped his comprehension.

A soft sigh floated into the air and Ivan pushed his bangs away from his face. "You want to know? Do you want me to tell you?"

Gill bit his bottom lip, expecting some egoistic response to his speechlessness. At least he would be comforted by the familiarity of it. "I... yes..."

The hand near his hair ghosted over his cheek, sending a shiver down his spine. His eyelids fluttered as it dipped lower, sliding to his chin. It held him with the faintest grip, keeping him in place as Ivan shifted closer, the grass giving away any hints of subtlety.

Gill knew what was coming next. He knew fully well and for some strange, irritatingly unfathomable reason he merely held his breath and waited.

Ivan's lips were thin and unlike any woman he could think of - not that he's ever kissed a _woman_, more like a girl on some dare in a children's game - and, pertaining to their owner, were overwhelming and just-- He was running out of adjectives, so he decided that it would be best to shut his mind out completely.

When the rancher pulled away, the blond felt oddly... empty. He blinked once, twice, before settling his gaze on Ivan once again.

"Does that answer your question?" the brunet asked, his expression maintaining that unwonted gentle look. Maybe the serenity of the occasion was making him act like this.

"I..." Goddess, this was one of his worst nights. Some otherworldly power finally allowed him to look away, and in that time he raked a hand through his hair. "I... don't... know."

"So it did," Ivan mused, brown eyes rounding in a way that told him he was genuinely pleased. Gill's eyebrows knitted together in bemusement.

"How does me telling you my uncertainty determine that my question actually was answered?" the blond asked, staring so hard in a way that it might elicit the answer from the rancher faster.

Ivan exhaled loudly and offered him another smile. With a quick stretch, he stood, silent in a way that Gill figured he was doing to purposefully ignore him and ultimately frustrate him like he always did. The brunet yawned as he stretched some more, his limbs creating a few nauseating cracks as he pulled them into a more natural position. After completing the task of righting his composure, Ivan offered Gill a hand, a mind-boggling cheeriness surrounding him.

"...Are you okay?" he found himself asking, tilting his head. For once, he wasn't embarrassed by the out-of-place question and inwardly gave himself a pat on the back.

The brunet nodded, extending his arm to touch his chin again. He turned it so that Gill was looking at him straight on and leaned in close to his ear, retaining his hold on his chin. "...And to answer your first question, it's just denial, not uncertainty." He reeled back and Gill was about to object to his reply, there was no way he was in _denial_, but he pressed his mouth against his again, effectively wiping his mind clean.

"Just trust me," Ivan insisted, sliding his hand from his chin to his wrist. The journey downwards made his skin jump and the blood rush to his face and he wondered when he would just stop _doing that_.

Gill stared at the rancher for a moment, considering the idea. "I will if you... tell me why you're so happy."

To be honest it was starting to scare him.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Sending him a deadpan look chased away the grin that threatened to spilt his face in half. "Well. Don't I deserve to celebrate a victory?"

Confusion twisted his lips into a wry expression. Victory? What victory?

Ivan dropped his hand, which made him feel colder somehow, but he blamed the fall weather for that. To compensate the loss, he shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at Ivan expectantly, hoping that he would elaborate and quell his irritating puzzlement.

"I had a great time with you, Gill," the rancher said quietly, crushing his hopes of receiving an answer. The blond decided that this would do anyway, smiling despite himself as Ivan rubbed the back of his neck. His next few words were barely audible, "Though I wonder when I've ever had a bad time with you."

This time, when he blushed, the heat was of lesser proportions. Gill was proud of himself for showing signs of improvement about his recent problem. "Th... Me, too."

Grass rustled in the deep quiet of the late night, sounding intensely loud to his ears as Ivan began to walk. Gill moved just a beat after him, but little effort was required to catch up with him. They traveled past the rancher's home on its place on a hilltop and followed a path to Waffle Town, their shoes making a clicking noise when they came in contact with the stones under the arch. Ivan stopped a few feet away from the Sundae Inn, interrupting the silence when he finally spoke again.

"It was beautiful, wasn't it?" he murmured, though it sounded more like he was talking to himself rather than the blond situated a few steps behind him. Gill nodded, but realized that he couldn't see the motion with his back to him.

"Yes," Gill concurred, remembering the vivid image of the fireflies dancing in the night sky and the way that they illuminated brown eyes so-- "It was breathtaking."

The air around Ivan seemed to lighten, as if he could just sense a smile stretching across his face. His suspicions were confirmed when he turned around to face him, his face lighting up the dark night with a small smile. With a few strides the rancher was but a few inches away, his eyes hooded and bright. Lifting a hand to Gill's face, he slipped a few strands of blond hair behind his ear.

"Breathtaking," he whispered, his tone far from harsh, "Is the perfect way to describe it."

And when he brushed past his shoulder, heading towards his farm, Gill realized that maybe he wasn't talking about the fireflies anymore.


End file.
